15 persons were abducted by the gunmen, but one of them escaped. The workers were said to be employees of Nestoil, and were on their way to the office.

The command’s spokesperson, DSP Nnamdi Omoni, said in a statement in Port Harcourt that the workers were freed in the early hours of Sunday.

Omoni said the Command’s Tactical Units, engaged the kidnappers in a gun battle, which lasted for one and half hours, to rescue the victims.

“The Oil Workers were rescued unhurt due largely to the efforts of the Command’s Tactical Units, who, at the early hours of September 18, engaged the hoodlums, in a fierce gun battle which lasted for one and half hours, leading to the rescue of the victims. The hoodlums took to flight abandoning their hostages. Efforts are on to arrest and bring them to justice,” he said.

Omoni said no ransom was paid to rescue the workers.

“They have been debriefed and are receiving medical attention in the hospital. Investigation is on-going at the Command’s Anti-Kidnapping Unit,” he said.

Omoni said that the police was determined to fight all forms of criminality and crime in the state.

He appealed to residents to give the police useful information that would assist it achieve set objectives.